We are pleased to announce that our current sixth grader, Martha Jane C. won second place in the fourth annual Write The Hook contest hosted by the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library.

We’ve been talking a lot about the tween years and how messy they can be. It’s true, the road through middle school can be bumpy! It’s awkward and uncomfortable, but it is also equally exciting and joyful. These years are also some of the most profound, developmentally.

I have always loved school and learning for its own sake, and this is the kind of philosophy and way of thinking that I try to cultivate with my middle school-aged students. I want them to learn to enjoy the process of learning, even when it is difficult and frustrating and when the material is challenging and not easily grasped on the first pass.